Would like to start organic program to my business which has exclusively used chemical fertilizers and pesticides for many years. Unfortunaltely I have no schooling in soil management I have only learned about application of fertilizers and pesticides through distributors and labels. It appears to me that if I send in a sample and get a report back than I would be able to purchase the proper elements to add, that would help increase the microbial activity. So my question is can someone provide me with the near perfect soil sample numbers ie. nitrogen, calcium, ph, etc. and what the product names toi ammend the soil would be. I know its not that simple but any info would be appreciated.

Ric

04-24-2004, 07:57 PM

Short answer is. The lab will tell you the base saturation of each element and whether it is high or low. They will also tell you what they recommend you apply.

WRICH

04-25-2004, 09:05 AM

OK I have done that and the lab I used only gave me npk and lime reccomendations. I posted this here in the organic forum to find out if the micronutrients make that much of a difference. I would love to start offering organic program to my clients. Here is what I do now let me know what you think about integrating organics in.

March 15th 1 app Lebenaon Team pre m six weeks later second app if lawn is prone to crab grass. I only spread the sunny areas to limit the amount of herbicide applied

May 1 app Nutralene 1# nitrogen/1000

June 30 1 app Nutralene 1#nitrogen /1000

August 1 scout for grubs apply only in known areas usually 2-3 properties only

August 15 app Nutralene 1# Nitrogen/1000

October 1 app Nutralene 1#/1000

October 15 24d for broadleaf weeds upon site inspection only

October 30 24d for broadleaf if bad infestation site inspection

November 15 Lime

I am lucky because I live in a fairly affluent area where customers can afford a 10 application season if their lawn is in bad shape. I do suprisingly little herbicide application since I have convinced customers to leave clippings which sometimes requires cutting every 4-5 days. I only apply the pesticide upon scouting and locating significant numbers of pests. For new customers the first year they have to get the blanket program.

Sorry for the long post but the bottom line is my community is a water front one with a sensitive aquifer. Therfore I can forsee that within the next 10 years or so laws will be past to limit all pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Already there is a law banning all irrigation in 2013. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

timturf

04-25-2004, 08:36 PM

way too much nitrogen

WRICH

04-26-2004, 07:43 AM

If I cut back on N the turf truns yellow. Reccomended by sod growers and golf courses in the area is 3-4 lbs per 1000 per year? What can I do organically and avoid yellow turf?

Hamons

04-26-2004, 09:09 AM

Tell us your whole program. I doubt you are not aplplying straght nutralen (40-0-0). yellowing can come from a lot of things other than low nitrogen.

Also, I'm surprised that you give your turf so much N in May and June and so little in the Fall (even with Nutralene's slow release rate)